SwedenSamskolan

Sweden in brief • Area: 450,000 km² (174,000 sq mi), the third largest country in Western Europe

Forests: 53%Mountains: 11%Cultivated land: 8%Lakes and rivers: 9%Longest north-south distance: 1,574 km (978 mi)Longest east-west distance: 499 km (310 mi)

• Capital: Stockholm • Population: 9 million inhabitants • Languages: Swedish; recognized minority languages: Sami (Lapp), Finnish,

Meänkieli (Tornedalen Finnish), Yiddish, Romani Chib • Form of government: Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy • Parliament: The Riksdag, with 349 members in one chamber • Religion: 80% belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden • Life expectancy: men 79 years, women 83 years • Most important export goods: Electronic and telecom equipment, machinery,

passenger cars,  paper, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel • Most important imported goods: Electronic and telecom equipment, machinery,

foodstuffs, crude oil, textile products, footwear and passenger cars

Sweden is devided in….

20 regions, and they are devided in 290 communities

Sweden and the environment – Who does what??

• Government/Parlament responsible for obecjtives on national level and legislation

• Public authoroties the responsiblity fot the public objectives is split in different public authoroies

• Regions adapts the public objectives to regional level• Communities adapts the regional objectives to local

level• Companies och organisations adapts law and

objectives in their own business• Individuals affects as consumers and citizens• Environmental Objectives Council monitors and

evaluates the environmental efforts in the society

Clear goals shape Swedish environmental policy

• In 1999, the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) adopted 16 environmental quality objectives (EQOs) and 72 national interim targets. These objectives are continually evaluated by the Environmental Objectives Council, a special government-appointed body.

• In its latest report, published in the spring of 2008, the council concludes that over half of the objectives will require further action if its goals are to be met.

• The 16 environmental quality objectives are to be reached by 2020 at the latest.

• The overall goal is to pass on to the next generation a society in which the major environmental problems have been solved.

• Sweden has made considerable progress in a number of fields, but much remains to be done.

The 16 environmental objectives

• Reduced climate impact• Clean air• Natural Acidification only• A Non-Toxic Environment• A Protective Ozone Layer• A Safe Radiation Environment• Zero Eutrophication• Flourishing Lakes and Streams• Good Quslity Groundwater• A Balanced Marine

Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

• Thriving Wetlands• Sustaniable Forests• A Varied Agricultural

Landscape• A Magnificent Mountain

Landscape• A Good Built Environment• A Rich Diversity of Plant and

Animal Life

The 16 environmental objectives,in Comenius-groups

• Reduced climate impact• Clean air• A Non-Toxic Environment• A Protective Ozone Layer• A Safe Radiation Environment

• Sustaniable Forests• A Varied Agricultural Landscape• A Magnificent Mountain Landscape• A Good Built Environment• A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life

• Natural Acidification only• Zero Eutrophication• Flourishing Lakes and Streams• Good Quslity Groundwater• A Balanced Marine Environment,

Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

• Thriving Wetlands

Water

Air

Fire

Land

The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that this objective will be very difficult to achieve. Total world emissions of greenhouse gases continue to grow, and the global average temperature is rising with increasing concentrations of these gases in the atmosphere.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change provides for the stabilization of concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels which ensure that human activities do not have a harmful impact on the climate system. Sweden, together with other countries, must assume responsibility for achieving this global objective.

1. Reduced Climate Impact

Will the objective be achieved?

2. Clean Air

In the Environmental Objectives Council’s view, this objective will be very difficult to achieve by 2020, even if further measures are introduced. This assessment is based on projections to 2020 in the EU’s Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and on national air pollutant projections.

The air must be clean enough not to represent a risk to human health or to animals, plants or cultural assets.This objective is intended to be achieved within one generation.

Will the objective be achieved?

3. Natural Acidification Only

Substantially reduced emissions of acidifying pollutants in recent decades have led to significant improvements in the acidification status of soil and water. Projections point to a further modest decline in emissions by 2020, and the situation is thus expected to improve – but not to a sufficient degree.

The acidifying effects of deposition and land use must not exceed the limits that can be tolerated by soil and water. In addition, deposition of acidifying substances must not increase the rate of corrosion of technical materials or cultural artefacts and buildings.

Will the objective be achieved?

4. A Non-Toxic Environment

The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that it will not be possible to achieve A Non-Toxic Environment by 2020. Levels of known toxic pollutants in the environment, such as dioxinlike compounds, mercury and cadmium, will still be a problem by that date.

The environment must be free from man-made or extracted compounds and metals that represent a threat to human health or biological diversity. This objective is intended to be achieved within one generation.

Will the objective be achieved?

5. A Protective Ozone Layer

The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that this environmental quality objective will be achieved by 2020.

The ozone layer must be replenished so as to provide long-term protection against harmful UV radiation.

Will the objective be achieved?

6. A Safe Radiation Environment

The Environmental Objectives Council judges that this can be met within the defined time frame if further measures are undertaken.

Will the objective be achieved?

Human health and biological diversity must be protected against the harmful effects of radiation in the external environment.

7. Zero Eutrophication

The Environmental Objectives Council judges that it is not possible to meet this environmental quality objective and several of the existing specifications by 2020. On the other hand, the Council considers it possible to create, by 2020, the conditions required to fulfil this objective in the long term. Emissions to both air and water are continuing to decrease, but there is no corresponding improvement in the state of the environment.

Nutrient levels in soil and water must not be such that they adversely affect human health, the conditions for biological diversity or the possibility of varied use of land and water.

Will the objective be achieved?

8. Flourishing Lakes and Streams

The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that this can be attained within the time frame laid down, provided that improved environmental stewardship is achieved in agriculture and forestry, and further action is taken under the interim targets.

Will the objective be achieved?

Lakes and watercourses must be ecologically sustainable and their variety of habitats must be preserved. Natural productive capacity, biological diversity, cultural heritage assets and the ecological and water-conserving function of the landscape must be preserved, at the same time as recreational assets are safeguarded.

9. Good-Quality Groundwater

The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that this environmental quality objective will largely be achieved by 2020, provided that further action is taken to enhance groundwater protection.

Will the objective be achieved?

Groundwater must provide a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water and contribute to viable habitats for flora and fauna in lakes and watercourses.

10. A Balanced Marine Environ ment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

The Environmental Objectives Council makes the assessment that it will be very difficult to achieve this environmental quality objective by 2020, even if further measures are introduced. The capacity for recovery of marine ecosystems will crucially determine when the objective as a whole can be attained. The basic conditions for a good marine environment, however, could possibly be achieved by 2020.

The North Sea and the Baltic Sea must have a sustainable productive capacity, and biological diversity must be preserved. Coasts and archipelagos must be characterized by a high degree of biological diversity and a wealth of recreational, natural and cultural assets. Industry, recreation and other utilization of the seas, coasts and archipelagos must be compatible with the promotion of sustainable development.

Will the objective be achieved?

11. Thriving Wetlands

The Environmental Objectives Council judges that the environmental quality objective Thriving Wetlands can be met by 2020 if further action is taken. Mire protection and re-establishment of wetlands in the agricultural landscape are progressing slowly.

Will the objective be achieved?

The ecological and water-conserving function of wetlands in the landscape must be maintained and valuable wetlands preserved for the future.

12. Sustainable Forests

The assessment made is that this environmental quality objective will not be achieved by 2020. Regarding the state of the environment, several opposing trends are noted.

Will the objective be achieved?

The value of forests and forest land for biological production must be protected, at the same time as biological diversity and cultural heritage and recreational assets are safeguarded.

13. A Varied Agricultural Landscape

The Council’s assessment is that the environmental quality objective can be met by 2020, provided that further measures are taken. Despite uncertainty about how agricultural policy will develop in the future, and also about the trends for biodiversity and the cultural environment, progress is considered to be under way.

The value of the farmed landscape and agricultural land for biological production and food production must be protected, at the same time as biological diversity and cultural heritage assets are preserved and strengthened.

Will the objective be achieved?

14. A Magnificent Mountain Landscape

The overall assessment is that the environmental quality objective A Magnificent Mountain Landscape can be met. However, it is already essential to heed, and take steps to prevent, the adverse effects of climate change on Sweden’s mountain environment.

The pristine character of the mountain environment must be largely preserved, in terms of biological diversity, recreational value, and natural and cultural assets. Activities in mountain areas must respect these values and assets, with a view to promoting sustainable development.

Will the objective be achieved?

15. A Good Built Environment

The Environmental Objectives Council considers this objective will be very difficult to achieve within the time frame laid down. The trends have been essentially unchanged for the past few years.

Will the objective be achieved?

Cities, towns and other built-up areas must provide a good, healthy living environment and contribute to a good regional and global environment. Natural and cultural assets must be protected and developed.

16. A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life

The Environmental Objectives Council judges that this objective will be very difficult to achieve by 2020. There are ample indications that the loss of biodiversity is continuing, although the rate has decreased somewhat and measures taken to reduce the loss have been stepped up.

Biological diversity must be preserved and used sustainably for the benefit of present and future generations. Species habitats and ecosystems and their functions and processes must be safeguarded. Species must be able to survive in long-term viable populations with sufficient genetic variation.

Will the objective be achieved?

Regional board

The regional board is responsible to implement

what´s decided by the government and the

parlament.

The environmental objectives on regional level are

more or less the same as the envrinmental

objectives on national level.

Work done by the regional board are always linked

to other local actions, done by communities,

authoroties, companies and others….

Communities• The scope of the communities is to adapt the 16

environmental quality objectives to local contiditions

• The government does not give extra money to the environmental efforts in the communities. It shall be a part of the daily business. However you can have financial support for environmental investments.

Some communities have done environmental investments to:

- Be more effetive in their usage of energy

- Increased reuse and recycling

- Increased usage of renevals

Individuals

Grade the garbage Build environmental friendly homes, Use environmental friendly energy, Choose environmental friendly consumables and recycle them, Choose environmental friendly transportation; bicycle instead

of car, train instead of aeroplane, Choose non-toxic options for painting, wood etc, Food – choose ecologigal alternatives Water – be careful with what you put in the outlet and don´t use

more water than necessary

We can all contribute to the achievemnt of the environmental quality objectives.

We can for example: